Iris Johansen - Eight Days To Live

“That’s none of my concern,” Barnard said. “My only business is to make things as easy for you as possible. Step this way, and we’ll get the matter taken care of immediately.” He smiled as he led her toward the back of the bank. “And may I say how wonderful you’re looking today? I understand you were a trifle ill when that photo I have of you was taken. But now you appear very fit.”

“Thank you.” She supposed that translated to the more than twenty pounds she had over Adah Ziller. “I’m feeling much better.” She glanced at Caleb. “Aren’t I, Mr. Smythe?”

“Blooming,” he murmured. “Though you couldn’t look anything but beautiful. That comes from within.” He stepped aside to permit her to precede him into the vault. “I’ve always known that you have an extraordinary soul. It shines through.”

“This way.” Barnard was waiting at the wall of boxes and gazing down at the numbers on the sheet in his hands. “You have your key?”

“Yes.” She reached into her bag and grasped the gold key. “I’m ready when you are, Mr. Barnard.”

JOCK GLANCED AT his watch-5:20 P.M.

Jane and Caleb had been in the bank for over fifteen minutes.

Not a long time, but he still was experiencing the frisson of uneasiness that had plagued him before Jane had gone into the bank.

He glanced down the street again. Just a typical urban rush hour, with all its attendant noise and bustle.

Not typical. His every instinct was telling them that there was something wrong, something that had nothing to do with Caleb’s weird shenanigans in that bank.

5:22 P.M.

Come on, Jane. Let’s get the hell out of here.

THE LARGE SAFETY – DEPOSIT BOX was empty except for a fourteen-by-ten black container that was no more than four inches in depth.

“That’s it?” Jane glanced down at it. “That’s not a jewelry box. It looks too heavy-duty. Maybe you’re right, and it’s blackmail letters or something.”

“Or something.” He lifted the black container onto the table. “It has some weight to it.”

She lifted the lid. “What the hell?” She frowned as she pushed aside the cotton padding. Inside was another box, but this one was gold and studded with blue lapis. “Wow. Now this is worthy of a Swiss bank deposit. But she’d have to have a lot of jewelry to fill this beauty.” She lifted the thin, filigreed lid. More cotton padding. She impatiently pushed it aside. “A tablet?” A large stone tablet with script that was tiny, precise, and completely filled the tablet. She studied the script. “Arabic?”

“I don’t think so. Maybe Aramaic…” His eyes were narrowed. “This is granite, and it looks old. Not that I’m an expert.”

“Well, we’re not going to be able to do anything with it here.” She closed the lid and put the black box in her tote. “It is heavy. And it must have been important to Adah if she put this in a safety-deposit box.”

“Maybe.” Caleb shut the deposit box and locked it. “Let’s get out of here.”

“What do you mean? ‘Maybe’?” She followed him into the vault room, where Barnard was waiting. She forced a smile as she handed him the metal box. “Thank you again, Mr. Barnard.”

“It was my pleasure.” He put the deposit box into the larger outer box and turned the key. “If you please?”

Jane inserted her key and turned it.

Caleb looked up at the video camera in a corner of the room. “It’s a shame you’re having trouble with those cameras, Barnard.”

Jane’s eyes widened. Count on Caleb to cover their tracks. She hadn’t even thought beyond getting to the box.

Caleb was shaking his head. “Perhaps if you erased the video and started it over, it would reset them?”

Barnard frowned. “I suppose that’s possible. Yes, I’ll try it. It’s a shame that you can’t trust technology when you need it.”

“I’m sure it will be fine once you reset it. You Swiss are the true masters of fine workmanship.” He took Jane’s elbow and urged her down the corridor toward the front door. “Good day, Mr. Barnard. I can’t tell you how helpful you’ve been.”

“Good day.”

Jane glanced back to see Henrik Barnard standing where they’d left him, frowning up at the video camera.

“Will he erase them?” she asked in a low voice as Caleb opened the front door for her.

“Eighty-five percent probability. If he doesn’t do it now, it will bother him enough to make him come back later and do it.”

“It’s scary that you have it down to percentages.”

“I’ve been at this a long time. We didn’t need a video record of our presence in the bank. It was only another little push for me.”

“And what happens when he discovers that Adah Ziller is dead?”

“Nothing. After he erases the videos, he won’t remember that you were ever here.”

“What about the receptionist at the desk who announced you to him?”

He didn’t reply. He didn’t have to answer. “She won’t remember either, will she?”

“Not if I did my job.” He glanced at her as they reached the car. “It still bothers you, doesn’t it?”

“Hell yes, it bothers me. I either have to doubt my sanity or accept the unacceptable. No one should have the ability to do that.”

“But I do. I didn’t ask for it, but it’s part of me. I handle it the best way I can.” He opened the passenger door for her. “And I’m going to use it to protect you whether you like it or not.” He glanced at Jock behind the wheel. “Is everything okay?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Jock said curtly. “Get in the car.”

“Right.” Caleb jumped in the backseat and glanced at the rearview mirror. “What the hell is wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Jock started the car. “It just doesn’t feel… I don’t know. Are we going back to Lina’s place now?”

“Yes.” Jane was studying his face. She knew that expression. Tense, alert, on edge. “There was a gold box with a tablet in the deposit box. Very small script that might be Aramaic. We’ll have to have Lina take a look at it.”

“There wasn’t anything else? Maybe some more of those coins you found in her bedroom?”

She shook her head and nodded at her handbag. “Nothing but the tablet. We’ll have to see how important they are.”

“They’re important,” Caleb said. “For one reason or another.”

“Don’t give me that enigmatic bullshit,” Jane said. “I’ve had enough of your mysterious ‘gift.’ Just come through with good old down-to-earth answers.”

“How boring,” he murmured. “I’d much rather deal in enigmatic bullshit.”

“Those tablets have to be important.” Jock’s gaze was on the rearview mirror. “Why else are we here?”

Jane’s gaze followed his to the mirror. “Do you see someone?”

“No.” He glanced at Caleb. “But I still don’t feel right. Keep an eye on that rearview mirror.”

“My pleasure,” Caleb said. “Trust, at last.”

“Not trust. Necessity. I’m driving, and I want a sharp eye on our backs. You might as well keep busy.”

“By all means.” He smiled. “If there’s anything to see, I’ll see it. Now get us to Lina’s cottage.”

IT WAS CLOSE TO ELEVEN WHEN THEY drove up the road to Lina’s cottage. The moon was bright overhead and illuminated the mountains and valley with almost surreal beauty.

“Peaceful,” Jane said. “I can see why she’s content to stay here.”

“Yes, the light on the mountains is pretty spectacular.” Caleb glanced casually back at the road through the mountains which they’d just traveled. “And she set herself up to ensure that she wouldn’t have to move again. Let’s just keep it peaceful.” Caleb reached for his phone. “I’ll tell Lina that it’s us coming up her drive. We don’t want to alarm her.”